Knockdown container



Aug. 6, 1957 Filed May 28, 1953 Fig.1-

A. PIGATTI ETAL 2,801,761

KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet l //V VEN 70/95. AMTa/V/O P/GA TT/ FEDER/CO JOE/0 Aug. 6, 1957 Filed May 28, 1953 A. PlGATTl ET AL KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 T T QIVFI United States Patent 6 The object of the present invention is to provide a case fit for the packing of goods, or for use in household, whose four walls, bottom andlid consisting of a slab of Faesite, or the like, are arranged on a metal frame, which parts may be separated from each other, or reassembled, through simple connecting movements and without the need of having recourse to separate acces sories. p p i This permits of the case being very quickly assembled or disassembled, and the precision of the connecting members is kept invariable; besides that, the risk of bolts,

pins, or other separate pieces, going astray, is eliminated,

since every connection -of the walls is performed by coun terparts secured to themetal frames of the faces.

Thus, a case is provided whose faces, when disassembled and folded up to be sent back empty, require a very small space and, on the other hand, the case, which is entirely provided with metal border frames, when re-assembled,

proves to be sturdy and undeforrnable, so as to be able to stand repeated transportations with the goods contained therein.

The case as devised essentially consists of six walls. formed from a strong metal frame, to which in theworkshop a slab of Faesite, or the like, is applied,which walls are built up in such a way as to causethe four walls to suitably engage with the bottom and, besides that, they are conveniently connected between each other along each of the edges.

The whole is completed by the lid which is attached to one of the walls by open hinges and whose frame with a metal angle bar surrounds and secures the edges to the joint of the case as built up.

Referring to the annexed drawings:

Fig. '1 is a partial perspective view of the case, with one of the walls on the point of being assembled;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the bottom of the case;

Fig. 3 is a view of a particular type of pivoted coupling for the walls on the bottom;

Fig. 4 shows in section a portion of the lid and a portion of a wall seen from the inside and in plan, with a female sleeve for the latch;

Fig. 5 shows a portion of a wall with the latch for se curing it to the adjacent wall;

Fig. 5a is a view of a part of one of the end walls, showing the latch thereon;

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of the case as put into effect according to a further form of embodiment,

with a wall on the point of being mounted;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of the bottom of the case as put into effect according to a. second form of embodiment as shown in Fig. 6; i

Fig. 8 shows another type of inserting awall into'the specially shaped angle bar of the bottom;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of still another type of insertion, with a differently shaped angle bar;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the connection of two walls of the specially shaped angle bar;

ice

Fig. 11 is a viewon two faces of a wall, showing the detail of fastening metal spiders by means of a soldered washer;

Fig. 12 is a sectional'view of the type performing the coupling to the bottom, in the case of the wall being providedwith a groove.

Referring to said drawings, the parts of the case, which are produced in series in the workshop, are formed as follows: i

The bottom. lt consists of the frame composed of metal angle bars 1 (Figs. 1 and 2), on whose inner edges, by, means of small rivets, or otherwise, the slab 2 of Faesite or the like, or of plywood, or other sheet material, is secured, which is to be kept peripherically apart from the vertical wings of said angle bar as shown at 3. This spacing 3 (Fig. 2) will be proportional to the thickness of the frame of the walls, as this frame has to fit between the perimeter of the Faesite slab 2 and the angle bar 1. To the vertical wings of the four angle bars 1 of the bottom in the workshop the pins 4 (Figs. 1, 2, 3) are secured, which project towards the inside for about a distance corresponding to the thickness of the frame of the walls. On each side of the bottom 2 two or more of these pins 4,"each formed with a beveled head, may be provided. The bottom frameis provided with four capshaped angle irons 19 which are secured thereto by soldering, so. as to strengthen the edge. p

Long wallSs -Twoof the opposite walls, for instance theblonger ones referred to as the side walls, are formed by the metal frame 5, to which the Faesite slab 6 (Figs.

1, 3, 4, 5) is secured, and on whose vertical sides a metal angle bar 7 is fastened by soldering.

On the side near these angle bars the frame 5, on about half of its length, is shaped as a sleeve or small tube 8 which thus is adhering to the inner edge of each angle bar 7. t

The sameframe 5 on the lower horizontal portion is provided with two or more through-holes 9 (Figs. 1, 3, 4), which exactly correspond to the pins 4 arranged stationary on the bottom, so as to cause them to engage with same.

Short walls-These other two walls of the case, for instance shorter walls referred to as the end walls, are also formed from the Faesite slab 14 on the metal frame 11 (Fig. l), which on the lower side have identical holes 9 to cause them to engage with pins 4 of the bottom. In each frame the vertical sides at the top, on about half their length, are shaped as a sleeve or tube 10, within which the latch-shaped rod 12 may slide, provided with an appropriate engaging head.

This latch 12 may be guided within its sleeve by the catch 13 (Fig. 5) and has such a size as to be able to is provided by the construction between the edges of the Faesite slab 2 of the bottom and the respective angle bars 1; this application is carried out by inclining the wall 6 inwardly by about 45 as in Figs. l-3.

Upon shifting the wall in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, to bring it into the vertical position, the pins 4 of frame 1 of the bottom will be caused to enter the holes 9 provided in the frame of wall 6.

Thus, this wall is kept engaged with the pins 4 and is prevented from getting out of alignment through lateral thrusts, since there is provided the abutment formed by the thickness of the Faesite slab 2 arranged stationary on frame 1.

Upon the two walls 6 having been so arranged, the n other two walls 14 will be arranged in the same manner, by causing the holes 9 in the lower side of their frames to be engaged by the pins 4 of the bottom.

To establish the connection between the fourwalls, it will now be suflicient to cause to coincide, as in Fig. 5, the tube-shaped sleeves 8, 10 provided for each of the four edges and to introduce the latches-12 into the sleeves 8 of the walls 6.

The connection thus quickly established is definitely maintained and may be removed only by proceeding inversely to what has been described above, by starting to take out the latches 12 from the sleeves 8, so as to disengage the walls 14 from the bottom, etc. The case is completed by the lid 15 formed, for instance, from a Faesite slab, which in the workshop is secured to a frame composed of a metal angle bar 16 (Fig. 4), said lid being provided, for instance, with pivoted half hinges 17 so arranged as to be introduced into the other female half-hinges 18 secured on one of the walls.

Upon the lid having been thus applied, it will surround with the vertical wing of its angle bar 16 all of the four engaging edges ll1 of the case, so as to render the latter quite stiff and undeformable.

Said lid will be kept closed by a catch, or otherwise, through the respective eyelet for the lead seal, secured to the wall opposite that of hinge 18.

According to a modification, in the system for coupling the walls to the bottom, as disclosed hereinbefore, the metalframe of bottom 2 may be formed from specially shaped angle bars (Figs. 6-8), made from bent sheet metal having five edges, so as to constitute a border frame having their angles projecting from the plane of the Faesite slab 2 of the bottom and secured thereto by the border 20. Thus, this specially shaped angle bar 1 appears to be grooved towards the inside.

The corresponding wall, for instance 14 of Faesite, or like material, at the bottom is provided with the border frame 21 made of specially shaped iron sheet and soldered to the Faesite slab, which border frame carries, for instance, a step-shaped projecting part having such dimensions as to enter inside the angle bar 1 into engagement with its free edge 22.

'Thus, the mounting of wall 14 is performed by introducing its border 21 into the angle bar 1, that is, obliquely as in Fig. 6, or as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, whereupon said wall is shifted into the vertical position, as indicated by arrows. Thus, the border 21 is kept engaged with the border 22 of the angle bar of the bottom.

To remove the wall 14, it will be sufficient to proceed inversely as far as to reach the position indicated by dotted lines, and then take it out from the groove of the angle bar.

An identical embodiment is realized in connection with the four sides of the bottom, so that the four walls are caused to be coupled by the same swinging motion from inside up to the vertical position. v

In Fig. 9 a modification to the form of embodiment of the specially shaped angle bar 1 is illustrated, in which, instead, it is formed from a metal sheet 23 having a simple angle, but with the top border turned towards the interior, so as to provide the edge 22 which abuts against the border frame 21 secured on the lower side of wall 14.

The angle bars 1, 23 may be secured to the Faesite slab 2 by any means, such as rivets, welded washers, or else by the riveted counter-border 34 (Fig. 9), etc.

Also the edge 21, with its step in each wall, may be constructed for instance, as in Fig. 9, with a small L-iron and a border, which are riveted to the edge of the Faesite slab, or else with any other section irons or members. 1

Fig. 12 shows another embodiment of the specially shaped angle bar 1 of the bottom, which at the top terminates with the edge 22 turned towards the interior and which in this case fits into the groove 25 provided in the metal sheet 26 which forms the border frame on the lower side of wall 14, said groove replacing the previously described step 21 and permitting to achieve the same effect.

The same type of specially shaped angle bar 1, such as 24 in Figs. 510, is secured to the two vertical sides of two opposite walls 6 of the case, which are the first to be mounted on the bottom.

Thus, upon having the other two walls 14 caused to engage with the bottom and to take up the vertical position, they are caused to enter with the border the groove corresponding to each angle bar 24, thus obtaining for the walls 20 the double abutment capable of withstanding the displacements both towards the inside and the outside.

In effect, the edge 27 sheathed with iron sheet (Fig. 10) of wall 14, besides striking against the angle bar 24, towards the inside strikes also against the edge 28 of the Faesite slab 6 of the wall.

In order to maintain, without any special stress, this double abutment connection, it will be sufficient to make use, for instance of a catch 29 rotating on the pin 28 secured to wall 6 and acting in opposition to tooth 30 secured by soldering at the top of the border of wall 14, or else it will be possible to have recourse to a specially shaped pivoted or sliding plate, or to other systems.

In order to stiffen, if necessary, the faces of the case, which consist of Faesite or like material, it is possible to diagonally secure to the outside of same two, or more, section metal strips 31 (Fig. 11) having two or more ribs and which are kept firmly adherent on the face of the Faesite slab by means of clinched rivets or by stuffed washers 32 welded to metal 31.

The detail of Fig. 11 shows the washer 32 with a stuffing extension 33 which, by passing into the hole provided in the Faesite slab, enters slightly into contact with'the specially shaped strip 31 located on its opposite face.

Thus, a simple welding point is brought about and the connection between washer and section metal is established by fusion, so as to have strip 31 firmly secured to the Faesite slab. In the same manner the Faesite slab can be firmly attached to the metal frames (Fig. 7).

Other soldering points are provided to secure the strips 31 at their crossing points and to the metal frame of the faces, thus considerably strengthening each of the component parts of the case.

It is apparent that by performing the operations as described inversely, the faces of the case will be quickly disassembled.

As already stated, no separate bolt or pinis required to establish the connection of the faces of the case; besides that, these disassembled faces may be stacked on bottom 2, so that they occupy a volume of only about one tenth ofthe volume of the case as assembled.

It is to be understood that the case capable of being taken apart, according to the invention, is not limited to the constructional form of embodiment as now described only by way of example, but the idea of engaging into some of the pins internal with respect to the metal frame of the Faesite bottom the lower sides of the frames of the four walls, which are then connected between each other along the vertical edge by means of latches internal with respect to said edge, may lead to embodiments even different from the embodiment as disclosed hereinbefore, without thereby departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

A collapsible case or similar container comprising, a sheet material bottom having a peripheral edge, a frame of angle bar extending about said peripheral edgeof the bottom, the frame having an upstanding stationary flange spaced from the peripheral edge of the bottom to thereby provide a channel between said flange and said edge of the bottom, side walls and end walls having their lower edges enclosed in channel-shaped edging inserted in the 6 channel, the flange having inwardly-extending spaced pins, References Cited in the file of this patent the walls and the edging thereon having apertures ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS acent to their lower edges and 111 engagement wlth the 1 2 pins, the relationship of the pins and apertures being such 4234 Taber May 1917 that the engagement between them is secured by inserting 5 2265 518 Adams 1941 each wall an gularly in the channel and then raising the FOREIGN PATENTS same to vertical posltion, the walls being each prov1ded 166 at their opposite ends with sleeves, the sleeves on adjacent 30 Great m July 1921 walls interfitting, and latches slidable through the sleeve 3 0 Great l l 1928 of the interfitted walls to thereby hold the walls together 10 25 g ggz $2; 2 b 11 Y n to form a su stant1a y rectangular enclosure 677,913 France Dec 19, 1929 947,854 France Jan. 17, 1949 140,479 Sweden Feb. 26, 1953 

